[Raggae Music Playing]
From Kingston, Jamaica, the largest English-speaking city south of Miami,
where cool reggae rhythms provide the background music for diners feasting on fiery hot jerk chicken,
to San Juan's elegant dining rooms, where the clientele is as sophisticated as any in the world.
To Tobago's beachside food stalls, that offer treats that play on the sea's rich bounty.
The Caribbean islands of Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad, and Tobago offer a complex world of flavors,
where fine dining can be found side by side with a staggering array of "Street Eats,"
and finger lickin' beach treats.
Visit a region that is as familiar as fried chicken, and as exotic as breadfruit and jackfruit,
as we shop in markets that seem transported from the African continent.
Sample traditional dishes that were eaten in the region before the arrival of Columbus
and visit fine dining restaurants that equal any in the world.
We'll stop in the kitchens of Chef Wilo Bennett,
a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, who is transforming the traditional dishes of his native island
into a "Nueva Cocina Puertorriqueña." A new Puerto Rican cuisine,
where past traditions inform modernist masterpieces.
We'll watch as Chef Khalid Mohammed of Chaud Restaurant in Trinidad
gives us a taste of two Trinidadian classics.
And see a new generation of chefs improvising on the hearty foods of Jamaica.
Hi, I'm Jessica Harris.
I'm a culinary historian and a cookbook author.
And for the past 40 years, I've been traveling to the Caribbean region looking at food and culture.
Most travellers never venture beyond the tourist enclaves, but I've made friends....who will be our guides.
So join us on this culinary voyage through the Caribbean,
where we'll see the countries and the cuisines beyond the beaches.
We'll investigate the region's core recipes, demystifying the classics,
learning as Pit Masters prepare a jerk rub of fiery scotch bonnet chilies.
We'll see land crab empanaditas prepared on a griddle made from tin sheeting,
and discover a whole repertoire of sweets and candies.
We'll even learn a bit about rum. The drink that is one of the region's major exports.
We'll meet local chefs, jerk Pit Masters, and some of the island's best cooks.
We'll visit vibrant tropical markets, learn the Caribbean market basket,
and see how each Island adds its own ingredients and gives them its own unique flavor.
We'll sample flavorful soups from roadside stands
and savor "Beach Treats" like Puerto Rico's Alcapurrias
and Trinidad's Bake and Shark.
And delight in the true tastes of the Caribbean.
Savoring the best of world flavors, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago,
is the seventh edition of the Culinary Institute of America's World Culinary Arts DVD series.
A first-of-its-kind DVD reference library, documenting the gold standard of world cuisine.
In this volume, we'll explore markets, food stalls, roadside stands, and restaurants
and watch as their leading food authorities, chefs, and local experts,
discuss ingredients, present classic dishes, and demonstrate culinary techniques, in step-by-step detail.
Each region has signature dishes that bring a nostalgic smile to the faces of the island's locals,
and present the best flavors of their culture on a plate.
Joining us on our journey is Steve Jilleba,
certified master chef and corporate executive chef of Unilever Food Solutions.
Steve knows a bit about the Caribbean, but he really discovers it's true tastes as we travel to the region.
American diners are increasingly adventurous, and many have now nibbled their way around the world.
Today's restaurant customers are fascinated by bold, exotic flavors,
that build on techniques, offering innovative twists on the traditional.
Through this revolutionary series, The Culinary Institute of America seeks to document and preserve traditional food ways.
Offering chefs new inspiration and insights into authentic world flavors.
More than one food writer has accused Caribbean cuisine of being repetitious, regardless of country.
How wrong they are.
The main ingredients: root vegetables, leafy greens, fish and fowl....
do indeed turn up on most of the tables in the region.
But each island nation has its own unique flavor profile.
The flat leaf cilantro-like herb known as "culantro,"
goes into the Puerto Rican sofrito,
and also turns up in Trinidad's green seasoning.
But while one is used in dishes that bring the mild taste of Spain to the table,
the other accentuates the vivid flavors of India and Africa in Trinidadian dishes,
and is even drizzled on a Trinidadian beach specialty: Bake and Shark.
We'll prepare both of them!
And sample myriad local hot sauces and condiments.
We'll taste the cassava bread of the Arawak, that Columbus wrote about in his journals.
And we'll sample true Jamaican Jerk,
as it was originally developed in the blue mountains by freed slaves known as the Maroons.
Journey with us, as we investigate the local Island markets,
discovering the vast array of tropical fruits and vegetables that go into the pots.
Taste hearty stews, substantial side dishes, and flavorful fish.
And savor the true tastes of the Caribbean Islands of Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago!
[End Music]
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